The directors of the General Directorate of Finance issued the following statement: "Based on the statement issued by the Minister of Finance, in appreciation of the gratitude and recognition it contained for the efforts of the employees of the General Directorate of Finance, and in a bid to protect their dignity by rejecting the unjust and unprovoked campaign against them, which they have faced and continue to face from a systematic malicious attack, it is aimed that those who dare to harm any of them will be pursued. The employees of the General Directorate of Finance have endured what others could not bear, implementing treasury advances for many public administrations and institutions, fully aware of direct grants from the international community to workers in various sectors or indirectly through civil society organizations. They did not accept benefiting from the decree that included a treasury advance of five billion Lebanese pounds to prepare a special study for the public sector, nor have they ever abandoned their national sense or facilitated the access of retirees, who served the state with their lives and blood, preferring to complete pension salary payments over processing salaries for public sector workers, foremost being the employees of the Ministry of Finance."
The statement continued: "The employees of the Ministry of Finance took it upon themselves to defend the rights of all public sector employees, while many senior officials who allowed themselves to portray the decisions issued by the Council of Ministers as a result of their effort and pursuit were absent from sight and sound. All employees from various public administrations know that what has been achieved is the result of continuous and diligent follow-up by the Minister of Finance and the General Director of Finance with the Prime Minister and the head of the Civil Service Council, evidenced by dozens of reports prepared by the Expenditure Directorate to determine the results resulting from each proposal exchanged. This is also supported by the promise made by the Prime Minister before the media that the increase in grants will start from the first of December, which was subsequently issued by the Council of Ministers in its latest meeting.
Out of their sense of responsibility, especially given the approaching start of the holy month of Ramadan and the pending salaries and wages, and as a gesture of goodwill from them, which is hoped to be met positively and appreciatively by the relevant parties, the directors of the General Directorate of Finance wish:
1. For all colleagues to rise above the wounds and disregard the insults directed at them, and to temporarily return to work starting Monday, March 4, 2024, to carry out the payroll and related payment processes, and to complete what can be accomplished in transactions for citizens and other public administrations and institutions.
2. For the Minister of Interior and Municipalities to take the necessary action to elect a new administrative body for the Association of Public Administration Employees, as it is neither legally nor procedurally permissible to continue allowing a person who has taken it upon himself to not organize new elections for more than five years due to a desire for media presence to usurp this role.
3. For our retired citizens not to close the doors of the Ministry of Finance because we work for ourselves and for them.
4. For the Minister of Finance to pursue anyone who dares to attack the employees of the General Directorate of Finance through the media or social media in front of the competent judiciary."
